Method of manufacturing incandescent lamps.



R. K. MICKEY. METHOD or MANUFACTURING INGANDESGENT LAMPS.

APPLIOATIOH FILED DBO. 14, 1909.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT. oFFioE.

ROBERT K. MICKEY, 0F EMPOBIUZ MI, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR' TO NOVELTY INCAN- DESCENT LAMP COMPANY, 'EMPORIUM, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING INGANDESCENT LAMPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

Application filed December 14, 1909. Serial No. 533,026;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT K. MICKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Emporium, in the county of Cameron and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Method of Manufacturing Incandescent Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to incandescent lamps, and more particularly to the method of sealing the filament-supporting stem in the neck of the bulb.

The principal object of the invention is to rovide an improved method of formin the ]0i11t between the flangedbase portion 0% the lamp stem and the neck of the bulb, whereflames upon the bulb and stem during continuous -rotation thereof that the neck of the bulb will first soften and cave in at a point above the flange of the stem, while the outer edge or mar inal portion of the neck folds under the nular anchoring bead or flange will formed around the exterior of the neck for afiording a firm attachment with the base of the lamp, and besides, the area of con tact between the neck and s'tem'is so large that the possibility of leakage is reduced to the greatest possible extent.

Another object of the invention is to carry out the steps of the method in such manner that the forming of the weld 15 substantially entirely automatic, it being "merely necessary for the operator to exercise care in properly positioning the lamp stem in the neck of the bulb, while the flame-blast will cause the lass, as it softens, to shape itself over the ange of the stem ange, so that when the two parts weld or fuse together, an anp be to the stem sealing operator and the stems to form an effective seal and an annular anchoring bead, and hence, owingto thef simplicity of the method the lamps can be quickly and economically made.

the invention comprises .the' novel method herein described in connection vvw-ith the ac companying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a sect1onalv1ew,-sliowing the manner of positioning the filament-su ort- 1ng stem in'the neck of the lamp. 1g. 2

.55" With these objects in view and others;

isa similar view, showing the seal .or joint between the stem and neck partiallyformed Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the'lamp, show-, ing the seal completed. Fig. 4; is an enlarged fragmentary-view of the'seal, show ing the manner in which. the neck folds over, around and -under theflangeof the stem to form the'seal' and the anchoring head ofthe neck. ig. 5 3m fragmentary sectional view, showing the manner of centermg the stem when the initial' posltioning ofthe latter is faulty. Fig. 6" is a sectiona view of the lamp, showing! the manner of drawing out the stem when-the filament is too near the bulb.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

. The lamp bulbl, stage, is provided withthe usual tubulature 2 and the neck- 3- is trimmed .to the proper length and the end thereof blown open, whereby the raggled flange 4 is produced. The bulbs are in t is condition when brought 5 are also complete. with their leading-in wires 6, and platinum conductors Z, filament 8, and anchorin wire 9.' j-The scaling marior to the ster risea1i ng,..

do" I chine may be 0 any approyedconstruction I to support the bulban stem in. to errelative position rotated simultaneously at the same speed. The bulb and stem'are ositioned in the ma chine and so adjust inch, more or less, inwardly from the outer edge of the neck 3. While supported and ro- 0 points around the same so as to melt the to'each other wh e oth are t t fla g 10,,- of the stem will be located an eighthpf an glass in the regionssurrounding the flange 10. As the glass softens under the influence of-theflame, it will cave. inwardly at a-point' above the. base flange 10 of the stem and fold inwardly underthe flange, Fig. 2 showing this action in its initial sta e. The flange 10 of the stem relative y cooler than the neck so that the flame is continued until the marginal portion of the flange fuses, and by this time the caving in of the neck above the flan e and the folding of the neck under theange is more accentunormal lamp ated, sti when the two'parts finally weld togethena joint, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

is produced, resulting in a decided annular bead 11 extending entirely around the neck.

It will thus be seen that the weld takes place between the upper and lower surfaces of the stem flange and neck of the bulb at a and b, respectively, and between the edge of the flange and neck, as at c. The advantage of scaling in the stem in this manner is that centraland in proper longitudinal position;

Occasiona1ly,.however, the stem of'the lamp mightbe canted to one side so that it will be necesary to straighten the stem to throw the filament in central-position. In doing this,

' an instrument A is employed-,as shown in Fig. 5, the same beinga meat skewer or.

similarinstrument' which is a non-conductor of heat-The end of the skewer is inserted in"the,'holl ow of the stem and tilted to one side or the'other so' as to centralize the stem while the glass is still soft at the seal. It

has been found, in practice, that a wooden instrument such as a meat skewer is advantageous for the reason that it is a non-conductor, of heat and consequently does not cause cracking of the relatively hot stem, as is often the casewhen a metal instrument is used. Should the filament be too close to the bulb, the stem can be drawn outwardly while the glass at the seal is still soft, and for this. purpose a pair of pliers designated enerally by B is em loyed to grip the leadi ng-in wires for pullihg the stem outwardl longitudinally, as shown in Fi 6. This operation can be performed wit out, how- 1 ever, marrm the shape of the anchoring flange 11. I cry rarely do the stems have to be' centered or drawn, as in most cases thelam will come out of the machine perfect, 5 ass own in Fig. 3. It will thus be seen that -manual operation is. anchorin flange on the neck of the bulb.

Instea of using a' pair of Eliers, as-shown in, i a: the P1 39 of filament supporting tube, it is to be -understood that the usual well known method of blowing'into the maintainer top tubing.

' ing thei sealingof' the stem is practically.- entirelyautomatic and all the o erator has to do is ta-am mt lX- sa t n. t stein h ulb.

; a d: r pe ly m heflrm o the k f the ulb and, of course, remove the sealed lamp at the proper time. In other words, no required to form the rawing out the may be'em loyedi -Having t us describedinvention, what I claim as new and desireto Letters Patent, is p 11 The herein described of sealin the filament-supporting stem-"in" the bulb 0 an incandescent electric lamp, which consists in positioning the stem in the bulb with the flange of' the stem set inwardly longitudinally from the outer edge of the bulb neck,

directing a fusing flame blaston-the neck from the exterior to melt the'neck in the I region of the flange, and continuingthe flame until the portion of the neck above the flange caves in upon and fuses to the latter and theportion below the flange folds under and fuses to the same to produce an annular anchorin bead. i

2. T e herein described method ofsealing.

the filament-supporting stem in the bulb o an incandescent electric lam which consists in positioning the stem in e bulb with the flange of the stem set inwardly longitudb nally from the outer edge of the bulb neck, first fusing the neck in theiregi'on of the flanfge by an inwardly directed flame blast to orce or cave the neck inwardly atall points over the flan e, and continuing the flame blast until the ange fuses to the-caved.-

in portion of the neck andto the portion sur rounding the flange for formingananchon be v in positioning the stem in e bulb with the flange of the stem set' inwardly'longitudinally from the outer edge .of thebulb neck, directing a fusing flame blast on :the neck from the exterior to melt the'neclrin the region of the flange, continuin "the flame until %the portion of the neck a v caves in upon and fuses-to the latter and' t e @gertion below the, flange folds under and v e the flan e ses to the same to-produce an annular anchoring bead, and centering, thestem by a 'heat-non-conductin 7 instrument inserted in the stem while the ange thereof is still soft.

4. The improved method of sealin a fila- 'ment-supporting. stem in the bulb 0 an in- The herein describedmethod of sealin i the filament-supporting stem in the; bulb o L10 an incandescent electric lam which consists -candescent electric lamp which consists in as m own, I have hereto aflixed my signaplaicirlllg thde stem withfilrll the 15601! oilthe bulb, ture 1n the presence of two witnesses.

an t en irecting a sin ame ast exteriorly against the neck 0 the .bulb to fold 7 ROBERT MICKEY 5 the same around the edge of the flange of the Witnesses:

stem both above and below the same. KATERYK WELSH,

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing HILDA HER'I'IG. 

